Devoted
by Ender McAuthor
Summary: Rima always have had Nagihiko as her idol - ever since they met. But one day Rima tried to do something that would change her life forever…


**Devoted  
Chapter 1 - Queen of Dance**

It was another cloudy day, in Seiyo Academy. The Guardians were as busy as usual - writing down long tedious forms and entries of every exact move they commit. It was boring for everybody except for Rima. Apparently, Rima liked it. That was what she said, at least.

Today, she would be dismissed early - even if she wouldn't finished with the paperwork. It was Nagihiko's (or should I say Nadeshiko, as Nagihiko would dress up as her) dance. He was going to dance in front of the whole school in the school theatre. Rima wouldn't miss a chance to go there. She adored Nagihiko. Nobody knew that.

Yet.

Rima moved her quill swiftly across the paper, producing beautiful text - as if they were from an angel. One by one, the words became lines and the lines became paragraphs. When she finished, the whole page was filled with a fruitful amount of meaningful text from Rima. Everybody looked at her very sore right hand as she walked off to archive, where every single Guardian placed their readings.

Every other Guardian wrote about what they saw, what their Chara felt, how a complication resolved or what the complication was - all of them were about X-eggs, ?-eggs and the Embryo. Rima wrote about a complication - not related to X eggs, ? eggs or The Embryo. It was about her feelings - what she felt.

Rima went through a corridor newly painted for the next year. She went through five of these corridors and stopped by a dark room that seemed untouched and left as a ruin. Rima entered, finding herself in a hall with an endless arrangement of shelves. There were many shelves - some of which had been burnt and damaged by a fire years ago.

Rima looked for the deepest of all of the shelves in the archive where reports that would barely be read placed. Reports in those shelves were only to be read if in great need.

She took a lamp and lit a light. The room wasn't lighted so, there would be a need of a light.

Even if Rima had gone in and out of this room in a numerous amount of times, she was still scared of the placed. She wondered about what lurked there. There were rumours about a poisoned person that dwelled there. He would have six long arms stretching from the back of him and wore a suit. Most of all, he was faceless. Some say that this creature would kill you if you'd see it. Rima would usually freak out if she thought about it at night.

Just as Rima took her first step, a cold hand held onto her shoulder. She froze, shivering at the same time. She dared not look back or run away, or it'd see her.

"Rima, can I please go with you to place my report?" a familiar voice sounded behind her.

Rima turned around to see a boy with long purple hair holding pieces of paper.

Nagihiko.

She sighed, in relief, and nodded. "Ok."

She walked down through the dusty aisle, with the lamp shining their way. Spiders and ants crawled up and down the walls and mice skittles through on the floor. It was very silent - and that was how Rima wanted to keep it. She didn't want to wake the poisoned man that she heard of. Nagihiko was pretty much in the contrary. He was not scared to talk. He didn't believe on the man - even though he ironically knows more.

He knew the signs of him being around - not that he believed on the man.

"Rima, how much rows do we need to go for until we reach the shelves?" Nagihiko asked, reckless of the loudness.

Rima looked up at him and shushed him, silently. "There is a monster that would kill you if it's find you."

"Come on, Rima," Nagihiko said. "Books aren't falling. And if they do, why would you be scared?"

Just as he said that, Kusukusu, Rima's Chara, accidentally bumped into books, making the books fall. Rima dropped the lantern on the floor, making it go out. She threw her hands out and leaped onto Nagihiko, crying at the same time. Nagihiko felt very awkward with Rima on him. He stroked Rima's hair and smiled. Rima looked up, with tears on her face.

"Look," Nagihiko said, while pointing at the fallen books, "there's nothing there."

Rima looked at the pile of books and looked up on Nagihiko again.

"You can hold my hand if you want," Nagihiko offered.

Rima held on his hand and laid her head on his arm - scared of anything similar to happen. Nagihiko started wandering downward, as if he lost his sense of direction.

Rima tapped on Nagihiko worriedly.

"Are we lost?" she asked.

Nagihiko looked at Rima and smiled.

"No, we're not," Nagihiko said with a smile.

Rima paused, as she saw the same lantern that she dropped and the pile of books. They were going around in circles. Nagihiko smiled anxiously for a moment.

"All we need to do is… uh… follow the light!" Nagihiko said brightly while pointing at the small entrance light.

Rima looked up at Nagihiko, as if he had authority over her - which was partly true. She adored him for what he does so much that she's literally What Nagihiko was doing wasn't something she can. In fact she was quite observant whenever he demonstrated something throughout the school or the group. You could also say that she was quite saddened by the fact she wasn't able to do any talent that Nagihiko has as good as he can.

Later on, Rima found herself left alone just by the entrance of the archive. Nagihiko left as swift as a cat.

She wrapped her hands around herself and walked gloomily and silently down the dark and quiet corridor towards the dance theatre.

Following her was Kusukusu who was silently chuckling along - enough that Rima wouldn't hear her.

Everybody looked at the girl who walked silently down the corridor. As she swayed slightly every time she took a step as she was ill. She was quite dizzy when she got to the dark theatre, where the lights were pointed at the stage where a dancer with long purple hair and a kimono. Dancing was Nagihiko - he was so graceful with every move he did.

Rima sat there analysing every move he did, unlike all of the other people who were in the theatre, being entertained.

'Bow, bend, step,' Rima thought, 'fan, turn, stretch.'

She watched every move he made and remembered them for later on. Rima was going to try something that she mustn't fail. She was to dance Sakura Sakura without a mistake.

Rima's phone rung. Her father was texting for her to the car.

Rima sighed and walked out of the theatre. Why can't she ever learn Sakura Sakura? Why can't she be like Nagihiko and simply dance? Why did she like somebody who did things in the contrary of her abilities?

She saw a black Ferrari Enzo parked on kerb on the front side of the school. Rima opened the door and entered. Inside was her father, wearing a wrinkly frown. Rima sat down buckled her seatbelt.

"Rima, you are late again," he said.

"I'm sorry, papa," Rima said silently.

"You may stay," he said, with a sigh. "I have to do some overtime work. Your mother is… busy."

Rima looked up at her father and swiftly left the car. Her father just glared at her. That was all he did. She ran towards the Royal Garden - to trick her father that she was going to join up with a guardian meeting. She headed into the school instead.

She headed into her empty classroom and stood in front, trying to copy Nagihiko on the stage.

"Bend, Step…" As soon as Rima started, she tripped over onto a pile of books.

She stood up and tried again.

"Bend, Step…" This time, she felt hands from her back, saving her.

"Bow forward, Bend, Left foot, step," a voice corrected her.

Rima stood up to see Nagihiko still in a kimono. He was, in fact, smiling. Rima stared at Nagihiko blankly.

"Why are you smiling?" Rima asked in a monotone voice. "Nothing funny happened."

"No - it's just," Nagihiko explained, looking at Rima's eyes, "that your eyes are so beau… I never seen somebody so enthusiastic in dancing."

"Will you teach me?" Rima asked.

Following this was a long time of practice. Nagihiko respectively corrected her moves - making her near perfect in performing the first section of the dance. Note, near perfect.

"Let's start from the top," Nagihiko said with a slight smile.

Rima started dancing beautifully - from your view would be almost equal as Nagihiko. At this point, he wondered if he actually danced this. Rima seemed like a natural. Until she tripped over on a fault on the floorboard. She fell onto another pile of books and stayed there. Nagihiko approached the blonde girl with all loving care.

He kneeled beside her and helped her up. She was crying softly when he did.

"Are you alright?" Nagihiko asked sympathetically.

"No," Rima replied softly.

"Why so, Rima?" Nagihiko asked.

"Why am I so good at everything but the things you're good at?" Rima asked softly.

"Look, Rima," Nagihiko said gently, "everybody is different. And besides, you are better than an intermediate dancer."

Rima wouldn't just believe him. She believed that she was the worst dancer that existed. But, no Nagihiko is her… friend. She must learn to trust him. But, no, she won't.

"I just need time alone," Rima said.

Nagihiko left the room with his head bowed down. Rima did need time alone.


End file.
